Senior Manager II: Solution architect at Massmart

Summary

• This role is responsible for designing and/or modifying system architecture to meet specific business needs. For this purpose, the role will be required to gather requirements and functional specifications, assess current products/systems in place, identify gaps and rework product/solution-specific architecture to mitigate the identified gaps.

Functions and Responsibilities:

• Strategic Planning
• Assist the solution architecture lead and enterprise architecture in developing a short-, medium- and long-term strategy with respect to solution architecture
• Ensure that architecture designed is aligned to this strategy
• Undertake regular scrutiny of the developed strategy to keep up to date with latest trends in the external environment and budget for changes taking place within the organization
• Operations
• Regularly engage with business architects to understand required capabilities, integrating business knowledge with technical solutions
• Lead the design and modeling of tactical architectures for delivery, development, and support of projects for your respective product line
• Lead the design and management of reference architectures for your product line, in order to maintain a ready reckoner of best practices for all architecture related designs and services
• Assist in the development and maintenance of policies, standards, and guidelines to ensure that a consistent technology framework is applied across Massmart
• Participate actively in the Architecture Governance Board to evaluate project proposals for architectural fit and advise the BU IT teams on possible changes in design as per the evaluation
• Ensure that the BU IT teams are communicated and are well aware of the architectural standards for your product line
• Develop Proof-of-Concept projects to validate new architectures and solutions
• Support multiple teams with planning, scoping and creation of technical solutions for the new product capabilities
• Mentor and provide architectural guidance to multiple teams building innovative applications
• Engage with other architects in the central Architecture team to determine the most appropriate technical strategy and designs to meet business needs
• Collaborate with project managers and other relevant stakeholders to develop budgets and timelines for solutions
• Mentor, educate, and train colleagues as required
• Financial, budget and compliance
• Achieve Cost Management by: assisting in preparation for annual budget
• Stakeholder management
• Maintain and build effective, professional relationships with third party vendors and service providers that result in timely delivery of requirements and the highest standards of quality and cost effectiveness
• Partner with other solution architects and business architects to provide scalable and adaptable architectural solutions
• Regularly liaison with Business IT and core Business Stakeholders to capture voice of customer and understand requirements
• Liaison with Walmart to borrow relevant expertise in the area, as required
• Knowledge Management
• Keep abreast with latest tools, technologies and trends in the area of solution architecture.

Minimum Academic, Professional Qualifications & Experience required for this position

• Bachelor’s Degree or National Diploma in Information Systems, Computer Science or Related Field.
• 5-7 years’ experience in IT, of which at least 3-4 years’ experience as an solution architect

Core Competencies

• Demonstrated experience of working on solution architecture
• Experience with design of IT product strategies and roadmaps
• Thorough knowledge of requisite IT systems and applications
• Awareness of tools and technologies deployable in this area
• Ability to work closely with other internal teams, both in IT and the businesses
• Ability to plan and prioritize tasks
• Ability drive consensus on critical decision areas
• Ability to apply critical thinking and ensure quick decision making